Lift fork vehicle with unloading kicker



Nov. 1, 1960 E. a. WAGNER 23539434;

LIFT FORK VEHICLE WITH UNLOADING KICKER Filed Oct. 21, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FlGal INVENTOR. EDDIE B. WAGNER BY BUCKHORN,CHEATHAM 8\BLORE A T TOPNEVS NUV. 1, 1960 E. B. WAGNER LIFT FORK VEHICLE WITH UNLOADING KICKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 21, 1957 INVENTOR. EDDIE B. WAGNER BY BUCKHORN, CHEATHAM 8.BLORE AT TQR/VEKY United States Patent LIFT FORK VEHICLE WITH UNLOADING KICKER Eddie B. Wagner, Portland, 0reg., assignor to Wagner Tractor Inc., Portland, 0reg., a corporation of Oregon Filed Oct. 21, 1957, Ser. No. 691,308

1 Claim. (Cl. 214-510) My present invention relates to lift fork vehicles and 'lift fork devices for use thereon, which are particularly adapted for handling large logs, loose bundles of small logs, cord wood, or similar elongated articles such as sugar cane stalks. The object of the present invention is to provide a lift fork device with means for unloading articles therefrom without requiring tipping of the lift fork device. With the present invention it is possible to elevate articles of the class described to a much higher level than heretofore possible with a vehicle of equal boom length, due to elimination of the necessity for additional clearance in which to tip the lift fork to permit the articles to roll out of the lift device by gravity.

The objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily ascertained from inspection of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a typical automotive vehicle having the present invention mounted thereon, in the act of gathering a loose bundle of small logs;

Fig. 2 is a partial view in side elevation of the lift fork device holding a plurality of small logs within itself;

Fig. 3 is a partial view in side elevation illustrating the ejection of the logs from the lift fork device at an elevated position; and

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view taken substantially along the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

The invention is herein illustrated in conjunction with an articulated, four-wheel drive tractor, but it is to be appreciated that any automotive vehicle having any boom or lift device thereon may have the lift fork device of the present invention mounted thereon. The vehicle illustrated comprises a body in which the engine is mounted and including a cab inwhich the driver may be seated. The body 10 is supported on rear wheels 11. A bogey 12 extends forwardly from the body and is connected thereto through a universal joint pivot means 14. The bogey is mounted upon a pair of forward wheels 15 which are driven through a universal joint drive-shaft 16. The bogey comprises an upright triangular frame, including a pair of vertical side plates 17 which extend forward to the axle of the front wheels 15 (not shown) and upwardly with their apices forming a support for a transverse boom pivot 18. A boom 19 is pivotally mounted at 18 and comprises a lower, cylindrical element 20 to which are welded a pair of upwardly extending, generally triangular side plates 21. The cylindrical member 20 may fold down between the upper edges of the plates 17 and extend forwardly therefrom to beyond the front edges of the wheels 15. A boom cylinder 22 is pivotally mounted at 23 near the base of the bogey 12, and a piston rod 24 extending therefrom is pivotally connected to a crossrod 25 extending between the top of the boom side plates 21, the cylinder and piston providing means under control of the operator for raising and lowering the boom.

The lift device of the present invention comprises a pair of fork members 27 mounted at the ends of a transversely extending, cylindrical member 28. A pair of upright members 29 are fixed to the cylindrical member 28 and extend vertically upward therefrom. A pair of upper members 30 are fixed to the upper ends of the members 29 and extend horizontally forward therefrom in vertically spaced relation to the fork members 27. The members 27, 29 and 30 form three sides of a fixed lift device frame which is forwardly open and open at its ends. A pivot rod 31 extends between the members 29 and is pivotally connected to the forward end of the boom 19. A frame cylinder 32 is pivotally connected between the boom side plates 21 at their rear edges on pivot 33, and a piston 34 extending forwardly therefrom is pivotally connected to an upper crossrod 35 extending between the upright members 29. The cylinder 32 and piston rod 34 provide extensible means for tipping the fixed frame of the lift device, partly for the purpose of positioning the fork members 27 parallel to the ground in order that they may be thrust forwardly beneath a loose pile of logs indicated at 36 or related articles. In the present instance the thrusting is accomplished by driving the vehicle forward, but it is to be appreciated that a reaching boom, cylinder or other device may be utilized for thrusting the lift frame forwardly while the vehicle remains stationary. The frame cylinder also functions to maintain the frame in the same relation as the boom is elevated whereby the maximum elevation may be realized.

A rock shaft 4%) is pivotally mounted in the forward extremities of the members 30, and a pair of grab members 41 are fixedly connected to the outer ends of the shaft. The grab members are preferably in the form of open, rearwardly facing hooks. A pair of cranks 42 project upwardly from the shaft 40 and are pivotally connected respectively to piston rods 44 extending from grab cylinders 45 which are pivotally mounted on the outer ends of a supporting rod 46 mounted in the upper rear corners of the members 30. The piston rods 44 may be activated in unison or independently of each other whereby the grab members may be moved together or separately from open positions in prolongation of the upper members 30, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, to holding positions extending downwardly and closing the front of the lift frame, as in Fig. 2, with their tips overlapping the tips of the fork members 27 whereby a loose bundle of logs or the like may be firmly clamped for transportation and elevation.

If the logs are to be elevated and dumped at a low height, it is possible merely to operate the cylinder 32 to tip the frame forwardly whereby the articles will roll out of the frame when the grab members are opened. However, in order to utilize the maximum elevating capacity of the machine, it is necessary to maintain the frame in its same relative position to the ground. In order to eject logs or similar articles from the frame when the frame is maintained in this position, a kicker device is provided as follows: A pair of kicker members 50 are pivotally mounted on a transverse rock-shaft 51 which is journalled in the members 30 adjacent their forward ends. A pair of cranks 52 extend downwardly from the shaft 51 and are pivotally connected to piston rods 53 extending from kicker cylinders 54 which are also pivotally mounted on the transverse shaft 46. The piston rods 53 operate in unison to rock the kicker members from their normal position as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 to their ejecting position as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The kicker members comprise upper portions 56 which normally extend rearwardly alongside the upper members 30 and angularly related lower portions 57 which normally extend downwardly alongside the upright members 29. The length of the kicker members is such that the extreme tips thereof normally lie alongside the rear extremities of the fork members 27 and when swung forward strike arcs of which the fork members constitute chords, the tips of the kicker members passing closely by the forward tips of the fork members 27 so as to eject all of the articles from the device. The kicker members normally rest against retainer blocks 60 fixed to the ends of the cylindrical crossmember 28 so as to relieve the pistons 54 of the necessity of holding the kicker members againt the thrust of a pile of logs into which the frame is being driven.

Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same permits of modification in detail and arrangement. I claim as my invention all such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended clam.

I claim:

Anautomotive vehicle comprising forwardly extending boom means, and a lift fork device pivotally mounted at the forward end of said boom means, said lift fork device comprising a plurality of fork members forming the bottom of the device, a plurality of upright members forming the back of the device, a plurality of upper members of lesser length than said fork members forming the top of the device, said fork members and said upper members projectinghorizontally forward from said upright members in fixed relation thereto and in spaced relation to each other, said members defining a forwardly open, open-ended, three-sided frame in which articles may be positioned, a plurality of movable grab members pivotally mounted adjacent the forward ends of said upper members and movable from open positions extending forwardly in general alignment with said upper members to holding positions extending downwardly with their tips adjacent the tips of said fork members whereby to retain articles in the frame, a plurality of kicker members also pivota-lly mounted adjacent the forward ends of said upper members, said kicker members being angular and comprising upper portions normally extending rearwardly alongside said upper members and lower portions normally extending downwardly alongside said upright members, means to swing said grab members from their open positions to their holding positions and return, means to swing said kicker members forwardly to eject articles from said frame when said grab members are open and rearwardly to permit articles to be placed in said frame, said kicker members having a length such that the tips thereof extend to the tips of said fork members when said kicker members are swung forwardly thus to sweep an entire load from said fork members, and means mounted on said boom means operable for maintaining said lift fork device in the same general relation to the ground while said boom elevates and lowers the lift fork device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,418,251 Drott Apr. 1, 1947 2,638,237 Struthers et al May 12, 1953 2,828,878 Le Tourneau Apr. 1, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 189,379, Germany Sept. 19,, 1907 1,144,151 France Apr. 23, 1957 

